Click&Boat, the UK’s leading boat hire platform, has acquired its competitor Océans Evasion, active in the boat rental industry since 1995. The acquisition comes on the back of a €4m fundraising round last year and will enable Click&Boat to consolidate its leading position in boat rental and expand the range of its services, which will now include the offering of all-inclusive boating holidays.

The innovative Click&Boat platform allows boat owners to hire out yachts when not in use quickly and conveniently, which means it is often up to 30% cheaper to hire a boat via Click&Boat versus a traditional yacht charter company. Both experienced and novice sailors, or those with no previous experience at all, can hire boats for the day or even longer via Click&Boat as many boats on the platform can be rented with an onboard crew or skipper.

Océans Evasion, a pioneer in yacht and catamaran rental
The deal with Océans Evasion (formerly SPI Location, a boat rental agency) follows the previous acquisitions of Click&Boat’s French competitors Sailsharing and Captain’Flit in 2016 and 2018 respectively. By acquiring a pioneering agency in the yacht charter industry, Click&Boat will boast a collective experience of more than 20 years in sailboat and catamaran rental. The main drivers for the deal were Océans Evasion’s expertise in upmarket cruises (with or without crew) and its groundbreaking vision for nautical tourism, strengths which have earned the company an excellent reputation in the boating industry.

Océans Evasion’s unique approach will become an integral part of the services Click&Boat provides, both as a driver for growth and as a new digital outlet specialising in exotic destinations. “The spirit of Océans Evasion will remain intact as a part of the broader Click&Boat offering. Their digital prowess fits perfectly with our expertise in bespoke boating experiences in remote destinations,” said Jean-Michel Guyomar, co-founder of Océans Evasion along with his son Antoine. Click&Boat’s platform makes boating accessible to all sailing enthusiasts, offering for rental a wide range of privately and professionally owned boats.

Click & Boat, the nautical travel agency of the future
Click&Boat will add a dozen of experienced employees to its current staff of 115, based in its three offices in Paris, Marseille and Miami. Océans Evasion’s team will remain in Lorient, a former submarine base that has become a yacht racing hub, effectively becoming Click&Boat’s fourth office. “In the coming months, our digital expertise will boost the visibility of Océans Evasion’s brand, as well as the user experience of its customers. Océans Evasion offers 7,000 boats around the world that perfectly complement what we do at Click&Boat,” said Jérémy Bismuth, co-founder of the startup. The acquisition will allow the company to achieve a turnover of €50m in 2019.

As a part of the deal, Click&Boat also acquired the travel agency Océans Voyages, which is part of the same group and offers all-inclusive packages (including flights, accommodation and transport). Click&Boat customers will thus be able to book all-inclusive boating holidays through a single platform. “Our ambition is to make Click&Boat a one-stop-shop for boating experiences. In a few clicks you will be able to book anything you need for an unforgettable holiday on the sea, including, flights, hotel accommodation and boat rental,” said Edouard Gorioux, Click&Boat co-founder. An Océans Voyages dedicated team will be supporting boating enthusiasts who have a knack for all-inclusive holiday packages.

ENDS

For further information about Click&Boat, please visit www.clickandboat.com/uk/

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Notes To Editors:

About Click&Boat
Click&Boat is a boat hire platform that was launched in 2013 by two young French entrepreneurs: Edouard Gorioux and Jérémy Bismuth. The idea is simple – millions of boats remain idle at ports around the world, incurring maintenance costs for their owners. The platform matches boat owners who want to earn extra income with sailing enthusiasts who can rent a boat at surprisingly low costs. The company, dubbed “Airbnb of the Seas’ by CNN, has quickly expanded beyond the French borders, establishing its presence in major yachting destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece and Croatia, as well as the US. In 2018, Click&Boat raised €4m and enlisted the world-famous sailor François Gabart as an investor and official ambassador. Click&Boat currently offers 30,000 boats available to hire in more than 50 countries around the world.